Shearer could turn to Damien Duff at left-back

Apr 10 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

ALAN Shearer is considering pressing Damien Duff into service as an emergency left-back after the injury curse that has ruined Newcastle United’s season struck again.

Jose Enrique, the squad’s only recognised left-back, has been ruled out of the critical trip to Stoke and, with Steven Taylor also missing, Shearer finds himself in the same boat as all three of the other managers that have been in charge of United this season – low on options.

Habib Beye is back in contention for the trip to the Potteries, although he has not trained all week after taking a bang to his knee last week, while Sébastien Bassong is due to travel with the squad after a fortnight out of action.

If there was ever a game when Newcastle needed a full squad available it was this weekend, against a Stoke side riding high after back-to-back wins.

It is more bad luck to lose key players to injury, and while Shearer admitted that the paucity of options is a concern, he was determined not to dwell on it and insisted his team could cope.

That is in keeping with a much more positive mood in the camp, with Shearer and assistant Iain Dowie looking to rebuild the confidence shattered by the long run without a win.

With spirits high again, Shearer will make do with the options he has.

Bassong or Ryan Taylor are options at left-back, but Duff may also be handed a more defensive brief than the one he is used to.

“We’ve got one left-back and one right-back at the football club. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that you need more than that,” he said.

“For whatever reason, that’s what we’ve got, so we deal with it. We’ll cope with it. Damien Duff is an option, yes. The last time I looked, Ryan Taylor is right-footed, but he can play there.

“He’s done that before. We’ve got one or two options.”